WITHERED was established in 2003 to focus on masochistic introspection while traversing many sub-genres of extreme metal. We haven’t seen these soul-crushing gents since 2007, so it’s about damn time they returned! Direct support comes from

IMMORTAL BIRD, Chicago black metal band whose 2015 release Empress/Abscess had everyone screaming for joy. Metal Injection said of the album: “Immortal Bird cranks out bludgeoning, constantly-shifting grind-laden jams that have a lot of substance to them. For a debut, or any release in a career really, Empress/Abscess is crazy good.”

VARAHA — named in honor of the boar manifestation of Indian god Vishnu who lifts the earth from underneath the ocean — plays a dynamic brand of dark and somber doom/dark rock inspired metal. The band’s palette is wide and varies from monolithic, heavily distorted guitars to elegiac and nostalgic arrangements. Overall, their music is a cinematic dance between heavy riffing counterpointed by omnipresent melodies, as well as droned parts of despair, and evocative clean guitar arrangements. VARAHA continues to earn critical exaltation for their self titled debut EP, streaming now on the band’s BandCamp, on iTunes, and Spotify, & available in a CD edition on February 3rd